President Niinistö to visit the United States

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press release 7/2023
23 February 2023

President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö will visit the United States from 6 to 10 March 2023. In addition to foreign and security policy issues, the focus will be on closer economic and technological cooperation.

The visit begins on Monday 6 March on the West Coast in Seattle. President Niinistö will meet Governor of the State of Washington Jay Inslee and attend a joint session of the State Senate, where he will give an address on transatlantic cooperation in the areas of security, technology and economy. The programme also includes visits to companies and a discussion on security policy at the National Nordic Museum.

On Tuesday 7 March, President Niinistö will be in Palo Alto in order to participate in a discussion on security policy, great power competition and new technologies, organised by the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. At a meeting with California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis the topics of discussion will cover the international political situation and the green and digital transition. The President and the Lieutenant Governor will also participate in the Bifrost Summit, an event presenting innovative Nordic entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

On Thursday 9 March, the President will visit Washington D.C., where he will meet U.S. Senators, among others. The meetings will focus on Finland’s NATO membership, transatlantic partnership and security in Europe. In Washington, the President will also attend an event on defence industry and emerging technologies organised by the Embassy of Finland.

At the end of the visit on Friday 10 March, President Niinistö will visit the Naval Station Norfolk and meet Governor of the State of Virginia Glenn Youngkin.

President Niinistö is accompanied by a business delegation with representatives from a wide range of industries.